Uniforms are compulsory in India in both public and private schools. The boys' uniforms are often made of a light-coloured shirt, long trousers usually blue, white or black, and those of the girls are often a shirt and a skirt. At the state level, the secondary schools are required to use a Shalwar Kameez. This is not compulsory but they do have certain specific dress code.
Many schools require students to wear shoes ties and ID Cards that make them look smart and tidy, and comb their hair down and keep it clean and short. Long hair are tied in braids. Uniform is one of the most important components of school life and is taken very seriously in India.
Some institutions also require the use of a tie, especially the schools run by Christian missionaries, and the Indian government does not prohibit the children to have religious symbols, so the Muslim girls can wear the veil (hijab) (burka) and Sikh boys a turban in addition to the uniform. However, most of the schools, whether public or private, prohibits students to have a ponytail or dyed hair.